Along for the ride: Women's March Santa Cruz

The 2017 world wide Women's March on January 21, 2017 came as a reaction to Donald Trump's winning the presidency. Even though it was overcast and threatening rain, over 8 thousand of us show up to march - including myself and several friends.

Rossana & Stefanie at coffee before the march

The crowd congregates at City Hall

The march assembles at the Santa Cruz City Hall's courtyard. A stage is set up and several speakers come forward. Unfortunately, the sound system isn't up to the task and it's very difficult to make out what is being said. Still we enjoy the camaraderie as well as the signs and costumes.

Love is love
Women's Rights are Human Rights

Downcast Lady Liberty

Stewardship Advocacy

After the speeches, the march moves down Santa Cruz's main street - the Pacific Garden Mall. A big cheer goes up as we pass Planned Parenthood with the staff leaning out windows and balconies waving and cheering us on.

Equality - This country belongs to all of us

Diverse Equal, United

Not my President

One year later, the 2018 Women's March is more focused and better organized than the first year. This year's theme is "Power to the Polls." The weather is cooperating and somewhere between 20-30 thousand marchers show up - over double last year's crowd. My friend Penny and I arrive over an hour early to get a good parking place to give us enough time to meet up with others. The march is assembling at the courtyard/street by the Museum of Art and History (MAH).

A lone bagpiper sets the stage

Penny has brought two great banners for us

Boy sits on MAH's red ball

2018's march is even more exuberant with more people, activities and signs. A DJ spins music in MAH's courtyard while mothers and daughters dance. The number of children, both girls and boys is surprising. It's clear the organizers have planned for a child friendly crowd with face painting and art project booths. I also notice several smaller groups with coordinated costumes and signs.

While waiting for the march to begin, a wild eyed woman comes up and asks if this march is primarily pro-abortion or anti-Trump. I try to explain to her the theme is "Power to the Polls" which means getting out the women's votes and putting more women in positions of power. Although, there will probably be both anti-Trump and pro-abortion marchers. She was clearly not interested in my explanation and wandered off muttering she wanted a pro-abortion march NOT an anti-Trump march. Oh well at this point the die is cast, she'll get whatever happens whether or not it's what she wants.

Music and dancing at MAH

Kid friendly booths and entertainment before the march

Group of marchers

The march starts moving down Pacific Garden Mall before all of our group is together. So we stop in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz, a town landmark, and raise our banners up so the rest of the group can find us.

Beginning of the march

Our banners raised while waiting for the rest of our group to join us

The Singing Grannies perform 60's style protest songs

The banners work and the rest of our group meets up, so we can now join the march in force. As an environmentalist, I am more than happy to help carry Penny's Earth banner up high. Many other marchers are also carrying signs while we all chant in unison "This is Democracy!"